Game totalizing device



Oct. 20, 1936, K. KNICK ERBOCKER GAMHTOTALIZING DEVICE .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

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Oct. 20, 1936. KNICKERBQCKER 2,058,323

GAME TOTALIZ ING DEVICE Oct. 20, 1936. K. KNICKERBOCKER' GAME TOTALIZINGDEVICE 1953 4 Sheet-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 13

All v2 1936- K. KNICKERBOCKER 2,058,323

GAME TOTALIZING DEVICE Filed Dec, 13, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAME TOTALIZING DEVICE Application December 13, 1933, Serial No. 702,108

11 Claims.

This invention relates to a game totalizing device, and primarily concerns itself with means for automatically registering the points scored and automatically indicating the number of times a predetermined score has been made.

The invention comprises the novel structure and combination of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred form of this invention and in which similar reference numerals refer to similar features in the different views:

Figure l is a top plan view of an apparatus for carrying on the game involving this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan View of said apparatus with parts removed.

Figure 3 is a View taken substantially upon the line III-III of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the left hand structure shown in Figure 3 with several balls in different positions to illustrate the operation of certain features.

Figure 5 is an enlarged view taken upon the line VV of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the main portion of the structure in elevation.

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line VIVI of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure '7 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line VII-VII of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line VIIIVIII of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view thru the counting wheels.

Figure 10 is an enlarged View taken upon the line X-X of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows. but with the counting wheel in a different position.

Figure 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken upon the line XI-XI of Fig. 9 looking in the direction of the arrows.

The invention in its broadest aspects comprises a playing field over which an object such as a ball is forced to move and to descend therefrom at one of ,a plurality of different points, in combination with a counting wheel adapted to be automatically actuated by the descent of the object. More specifically, the descent of the object is controlled at the different points so that it will deseend further at one point than at another and impart a greater movement to the counting wheel- Further the invention includes an indicating device such as a totalizing wheel which is automatically actuated whenever the counting wheel is reset to its initial position.

Describing now the invention with reference to the drawings which illustrate one form that the invention may assume, and referring first to Fig. 1, it will be observed that the illustrated apparatus comprises a casing I having a playing field 2 therein with a chute or runway 3 along one of the inner side edges of the casing and leading to the playing field. At the front end of the casing there is a projector 4 adapted for shooting objects such as balls one at a time thru the chute 3 and upon the playing field around which the same may travel. The playing field is provided with a plurality of apertures 5 which may be suitably spaced thereon as desired. A cage composed of spaced upright rods 6 is constructed around each aperture, and each cage has an entrance gate 1 thru which the object such as a ball may enter. A rod 8 is preferably spaced forwardly of the center of each gate to force the object to approach the gate more or less from a lateral direction.

Each aperture is of such a size as to allow a ball used in playing the game to drop therethrough. Beneath each aperture there is a chute shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. These chutes are designated as 9, If), H, l2 and I3 and each leads to a different tiltable platform. These platforms are designated as 9a, Illa, I la, l2a, and I311... The ball rolling down the chute 9 will roll upon the platform 9a, the ball rolling down the chute Ill will roll upon the platform Illa, the ball rolling down the chute II will roll upon the platform Ila, the ball rolling down the chute 12 will roll upon the platform l2a while the ball rolling down the chute l3 will roll upon the platform I301. The platforms are pivoted intermediate their ends to a rod l4 which is suitably secured in the casing. The contours of these tiltable platforms are best shown in Figure 8 and in referring to this figure it will be observed that each platform has a pendant portion I5 that terminates in a right angled portion or flange as indicated at [6. The upper portion ll that supports the ball is normally held in an elevated position by the tail portion which is heavier. As soon as a ball rolls upon the ball supporting portion I! of a platform it will tilt the same into a substantially horizontal position and actuate a trip lever l8 which is pivoted upon a rod l9 and carries a stop flange adapted to be elevated in the path of the ball to the left. In referring to Figure 4, it will be noted that the ball 2| has depressed its platform Ha and tilted the lever l8 to bring the flange 20 in the path of the ball 22 while the ball 22 has also actuated its trip lever l8 into the path of the end ball 23. Thus in the event that a ball to the left as viewed in Figure 4 reaches its platform immediately after a ball to the right has reached its platform the ball to the right will have elevated the trip lever and prevented the ball to the left from escaping, thereby preventing any jam and providing for the orderly discharge of the balls from their platforms. It will be noted that the trip levers 20 have their tail portions in engagement with the bottoms of the platforms when the same are in their upwardly tilted position. It might be mentioned that such trip levers are only required in connection with the platforms ma, Ila, Ila, and [3a.

The trip levers l8 are held in their tilted position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8 by means of weighted arms 24 pivoted on a shaft 25 secured in the top of the casing. Each weighted arm 24 is provided with a shoulder 24a shown in dotted lines in Figure 8 that is adapted for engagement with the stop member 2|] of each trip lever when the same is in its elevated position for holding the same in such position. The normal tendency of the arms 24 is to swing outwardly toward the left as viewed in Figure 8. In order to retain the balls from lateral movement upon the platforms suitable partition members 26 may be provided between the platforms as shown more clearly in Figure 2.

As soon as a ball rolls from the end of its platform, it drops upon a long bar 21. The bar 2'! is attached at one end to a counterweighted lever 28 which is journalled intermediate its ends upon a stationary shaft 3|. The said bar 21 is attached at its other end to an arm 30a (Fig. 6) also journalled upon shaft 3|, so the bar 21 will swing in an are having the shaft 3| as a center. A U-shaped guard or bail 28a has one end secured to an upstanding part of the lever 28 and the other end secured upon shaft l4 whereby it will move with bar 21. When bar 21 is lowered, bail 28a will be lowered as shown in dotted lines in Figure 8 to intercept a second ball that too closely follows the first ball. Upon the inner end of the bar 21 there projects a pin 29 upon which a pawl 30 is pivoted that engages a counting wheel loosely journalled upon the aforementioned shaft 3|. The counting wheel is provided with a plurality of pins 33 adapted to be engaged by the pawl 30. It will be apparent that when the bar 21 descends due to the weight of a ball thereon it will cause the pawl 30 to rotate the counting wheel 32. The amount of rotation of the counting wheel will, of course, depend upon the downward stroke of the actuating pawl 30 and the downward descent of the actuating pawl 30 depends upon the length of time that the ball is retained upon the bar 21.

Means has been provided for controlling the length of time that a ball may be retained upon the bar 21. This means is best illustrated in Figure 5. It consists of a base member 34 having upright end portions 35 and 36. It will be noted that the upright end portion 36 is considerably lower than the upright end portion 35. Integral with the upright end portions 35 and 36 is a plate 31 for carrying inwardly projecting spaced plates 38, 39, 40, and 4|. The plates 38 to 4| gradually decrease in height from the left hand end of the apparatus to the right hand end as viewed in Figure 5. In referring to Figure 8 it will be noted that this ball controlling device is attached to the frame near the paths of the descending balls with the result that the balls cannot escape from the bar 27 until they descend beneath the plate 37. And as this plate 31 is stepped at its lower edge in accordance with the depth of the partitions it will be apparent that the balls between different partitions will be retained upon the supporting bar 21 for different lengths of time. It migth be stated that the partition members form pockets for retaining the balls and as these pockets gradually increase in depth from one end to the other of the controlling device, it will be apparent that each ball will impart a different stroke to the actuating pawl 30. When a ball descends below its pocket it will drop upon the bottom 34 of the controlling member and escape to a return chute which is not specifically illustrated.

It will be appreciated that if a scoring number is assigned to each aperture in the playing field and if these scoring numbers constantly increase in accordance with the depth of the pockets and the counting wheel is correspondingly numbered, it will be possible to actuate the same to indicate the total scored points. In the present instance the counting wheel has numbers on its periphery that run from Zero to 10,000. The first number after zero is 200, the next is 400 and the next is 600, making a constant increase of 200 per number. Now if the scoring points at the apertures in the playing field, begin at 200 and uniformly increase from the right hand side to the left by 200, the fifth scoring sum will be 1,000. The parts are so designed that each descending ball will impart such a stroke to the pawl 30 that the counting wheel will rotate such an extent as to register the score made by the ball. Thus the counting wheel will always show the total of the scored point. Suppose that the ball 23 first actuates the counting wheel from its initial zero position, it will be rotated such an extent or five spaces as to bring the 1,000 number in the position where the Zero was. Now suppose that ball 2i is the next to actuate the counting wheel, said wheel will be rotated three spaces so that the counting wheel will register 1,600 points, since each space represents 200 points. It is immaterial what order the balls actuate the counting wheel, since each registers only the value of numbers at the aperture in the playing field through which it passes.

Before play begins, the counting wheel should be rotated to its initial position as shown in Figure 2 in which position the zero space appears uppermost. The counter wheel is normally held against retrograde movement by means of a counterweighted holding pawl 42 loosely mounted upon the end of the shaft 25. It will be noted in Figure 6 that the pawl 42 has a pointed end 42a that engages a pin 33 for preventing reverse rotation. The pawl 42 as well as the pawl 30 are adapted to be simultaneously disengaged by means of a shifting lever 43 best shown in Figure '7. This lever which is of angular formation is provided with an I shaped head. The lower portion of the head is pivoted to the casing as indicated at 44. The upper portion of the head has a forwardly extending cam portion 45 adapted for engaging a lug 45 extending from the hub of the pawl 42. When said lever is elevated as shown in dotted lines in Figure 7, the cam portion 45 of said head will engage the lug 46 and lift the holding pawl out of engagement with the ratchet. As the holding pawl 42 is thuswise moved outwardly, a notch 41 in said pawl will engage a pin 48 on the actuating pawl 30 and also move it out of engagement with the pins on the counting wheel. As soon as the pawls are disengaged from the counting wheel, the latter will be rotated to its initial position by means of a counterweight 49 attached to a string 50 which is wound around the hub of the counting wheel.

The lever 43 is so designed that its tail portion will normally maintain the same in its inoperative position. Said lever preferably passes through a guide slot 52 in a support 53 attached to the casing. A weight 54 which is adjustably suspended by a bolt 55 is provided with a slot for receiving the end of the lever 43 which carries a transversely extending rod 56 which extends through suitable openings in the weight 54. With this construction, the lever 43 is secured for a limited range of movement. It can be raised by means of the rod 56.

The counterweight 54 and associated mechanisms also serve an important purpose in discouraging improper manipulation of the machine upon which the totalizer is mounted. For example, if the machine is tilted in an improper attempt to secure a higher score, the lever 43 will be elevated through the coaction of the pin 43a thereon with the slope 54a on the counterweight 54 for lifting the pawl 42 and causing the counting wheel to be reset.

In the use of this game, it is sometimes desirable to register the number of times the counting wheel 32 has rotated a predetermined extent, for example, for every time it registers 2000 points. To this end, mechanism has been provided for registering the number of times the counting Wheel 32 has rotated a predetermined extent. While different forms of such mechanism may be utilized, as a matterof illustrating the invention, the counting wheel 32 is provided with means for actuating an indicating or totalizing wheel 51. It will be noted that the counting wheel has a circular series of long pins 58 projecting in the same general direction as the pins 33. These pins are slidably mounted in sockets 59 upon the inner surface of the flange 60 of the counting wheel. It will be noted that each pin 58 has a pair of adjacent grooves 6|, and a coiled spring 62, which encircles the sockets as a whole, is adapted for engaging one of said grooves, the sockets being provided with suitable openings for bringing the coiled spring 62 into engagement with the grooves. With this construction, it will be readily apparent that a pin may be drawn outwardly to engage the outer groove with the coiled spring 62, as indicated by the pins 58a. It will be appreciated that any number of pins 58 may be thuswise drawn outwardly and they may be pulled outwardly in any desired position.

Adjacent the counting wheel 32 there is a frame member 63 in which a shaft 64 is journaled. This shaft is provided with a crank 65 at one end, and upon this crank 65 there is pivoted a oneway actuating member 66 that normally lies in the path of the pulled out pin 58a. The member 66 is pivoted to the crank 65 as indicated at 61 in Figure 10. A U-shaped stop member 68 is attached to the crank 65 so that the one-way actuating member 66 will lie between the upstanding branches of the stop 68. During the rotation of the counting wheel 32 in the direction of the arrow the pins 58a will engage the beveled end of the actuating member 66 and swing the same from full line to dotted line position as shown in Figure 10. As soon as the pin 58a passes the end of such member, the member 66 will be returned to its initial position for actuation by the next pin 58a. It might be mentioned that the pins 58 and the member 66 constitute a one-way driving connection and when the counting wheel 32 is moving in the direction of the arrow it will merely slip past the one-way actuating member 66 without accomplishing anything. However, when the counting wheel 32 is released and reversely rotated to its initial position the pins 58a, that is, the pins that are projected out wardly, will engage the opposite side of the oneway actuating member 66 which will be constrained from relative movement with respect to the crank 65 due to the pivot 61 and the stop member 68 with the result that upon the reverse rotation of the counting wheel the projected pins 58a will actuate the crank 65 and shaft 64 one step. A spring 66a connecting the crank with the casing will return the crank after each actuation. It might be mentioned that the crank 65 will be actuated by each projecting pin 58a and as the spaces between the pins are equal, the totalizer will register the number of times a certain amount has been scored.

Upon the shaft 64 there is an escapement 69 which is actuated during each actuation of the shaft 64 for releasing the totalizing wheel 51 which is provided with suitable pins 10 with which the escapement 69 cooperates. The counting wheel 32 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 3|. The totalizing wheel 51 is also loosely mounted upon the shaft 31 but adjacent the totalizing wheel 51 there is a flanged member 1| secured to the shaft 3|. The totalizing wheel has an annular flange 12 that forms a cylindrical chamber with respect to the axis thereof. A spring motor in the form of a fiat leaf spring 13 is confined in said chamber with one end attached to the totalizing wheel 51 and the other end attached to the member 1|. This spring motor normally tends to rotate the totalizing wheel 51 in the proper direction but is constrained by the escapement 69. When the escapement 69 is actuated the spring motor will rotate the totalizing wheel 51 one step for indicating a predetermined extent of rotation of the counting wheel.

The pins 58 are adapted to be set or pulled out by the owner or proprietor either before the apparatus is put into use or at any other time, depending upon whether he desires to have the wheel 51 function for indicating the number of times a certain score has been made by a predetermined number, or the regulation number of balls. Assume that a prize is offered for scoring 6000 points or more by a predetermined number of balls, the pins 58 will be pulled outwardly 6000 points apart, as measured on dial 32. Now when the dial 32 is rotated to indicate 6000, a pulled out pin 58a will have rotated past the member 66. Consequently when the dial 32 is reset for another player, the said pin 58a will actuate the escapement on wheel 51 and allow its spring motor to actuate wheel 51 one step to indicate the number 1 which means that the dial 32 has rotated the predetermined extent of 6000 points defined by the spacing of the pins 58a. If the second player should also score 6000 points the dial 51 would be advanced a second step upon resetting of the dial 32. If more than 6000 points should be scored but less than twice that amount the dial 5'! would only be moved one step upon the resetting of the dial 32. On the other hand if a player failed to score 6000 points, the dial 51 would not be advanced upon the resetting of dial 32 as the predetermined score of 6000 points had not been made and no pulled out pin 58a has rotated past member 66 for actuating the escapement upon the resetting of dial 32. It will of course be understood that the pins 58a may be so spaced as to vary the prize score; it may be smaller than 6000 points or greater. The function of the indicating wheel hence is to indicate or totalize the number of times a predetermined score has been made by the players.

In the present embodiment of the invention a second totalizing wheel 14 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 3| for totalizing the rotations of the totalizing wheel 51. The totalizing wheel 14 is somewhat similar to the totalizing wheel 51 and is connected to the shaft through a spring motor 13 and a flanged member 1| in a similar manner to the way the totalizing wheel 51 is mounted. This totalizing wheel 14 is provided with laterally extending pins 15 which are engaged by an escapement 16 mounted upon a shaft 11. The escapement 16 is actuated once during each revolution of the totalizing wheel 51 for allowing the spring motor 13 to rotate the totalizing wheel 14 one step. To this end the totalizing wheel 51 is provided with a laterally extending headed pin 18 best seen in Figures 9 and 11. The hub of the escapement 16 is provided with an arm 19 having a beveled end 80 that normally lies in the path of the pin 18 with the result that during each rotation of the totalizing wheel 51 the pin 18 will actuate the arm or lever 19 for rocking the shaft 11 and actuating the escapement 16 for allowing the spring motor 13 to advance the totalizing wheel one step.

It will of course be understood that some balls that are projected upon the playing field will not drop through an aperture, but may be removed in any manner such as an idle runway common to such games. The balls that pass through an aperture are controlled so that only one at a time can descend upon the bar 21. The halls are thuswise controlled by the swingable stops 20 and the stop bail 28a which swings with rod 29.

As soon as a ball drops upon the bar 21, the weight of such ball will cause the bar to descend until the ball escapes below its pocket of the controlling member. Now as the bar 21 descends, it will swing any arm 24 inwardly for releasing the trip lever l8 that may hold a platform in upwardly tilted position. At the same time, the descent of bar 21 will cause pawl to rotate the counting wheel 32 an extent equal to the score made by the ball which is forced to actuate the pawl 30 such an extent.

As many balls may be projected one at a time upon the playing field as desired, and the score made by such balls as they pass through the apertures will be successively and automatically shown in total upon the counting wheel. Suppose that 6000 points have been scored, the uppermost number upon the counting wheel will be 6000.

After a game'has been played by projecting a predetermined number of balls upon the playing held, and it is desired to play a second game, either by the same person or another, the counting wheel 32 will be reset to its initial position as previously explained. As the counting Wheel 32 is rotated to its initial position, each of the pins 58a that have been partially pulled out of their sockets and that have moved past the crank 56 will now positively actuate the crank for rotat ing the totalizing wheel 51 which at the end of each revolution will rotate the final totalizer 14. Thus it will be apparent that the sum totals of the scored points may always be registered.

It will be appreciated that this apparatus not only facilitates the play of the game in automatically registering the total points scored by each player, but it also is susceptible of registering the points scored by players over a period of time.

The totalizing device of this invention is also advantageous in that the interlocking feature insures successive scoring so that even if all of the balls be shot and dropped into the passages simultaneously, the proper total may still be secured.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a, wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a registering mechanism for games, a swingable member, playing elements designating different values adapted to successively descend upon different points of said member for actuating the same, means for confining certain elements upon said member longer than others for increasing the swinging movement thereof and means responsive to the swinging movements of said member in one direction for registering the values of said elements.

2. In a registering mechanism for games, a downwardly swingable member, playing elements designating difieren't values adapted to descend upon different points of said member for actuating the same, a stepped device for confining a certain element upon said member longer than another for increasing the downward swinging movement thereof and means actuated by the downward movement of said member for registering the value of said element.

3. In registering mechanism for a game, a downwardly swingable member, playing elements designating different values adapted for singly and successively descending upon different parts of said member for actuating the same different extents in a downward direction, means for controlling said elements for causing the same to singly descend upon said member, means for retaining a certain element upon said member longer than another and means responsive to the movement of said member in a downward direction for registering the value of said certain playing element.

4. In registering mechanism for a game, a movable bar, playing elements adapted for moving upon said bar for actuating the same different extents and then moving therefrom, means for controlling the length of time that an element remains upon said bar, a register and means operated by the movement of said bar for actuating said register.

5. In registering mechanism for a game, a movable bar, playing elements adapted for movement upon said bar for moving the same different extents, means for causing certain elements to remain upon said bar longer than others, means for causing said elements to singly engage said bar, a register and means responsive to the movement of said bar for actuating said register,

6. In registering mechanism for a game, a resettable register for registering the points scored, said register having laterally adjustable pins, a second register for registering the number of times a predetermined sum has been registered upon the first register and means for actuating said second register including a one-way movable member extending into the path of adjusted pins and adapted to be operatively actuated thereby when said first register is reset.

'7 In registering mechanism for a game apparatus, a numeral wheel for registering scores, means for holding said wheel against reverse rotation, means for resetting said wheel, and a device automatically operated through a tilting of said apparatus for moving said holding means for releasing said numeral wheel.

8. In registering mechanism for a game, a resettable register, means including movable elements for actuating said register, a second register for registering the number of times a predetermined sum has been registered upon the first register, and actuating means between said registers including a lever and one or more devices on the first register adapted for intermittently engaging said lever in the event that said predetermined sum has been registered upon the first register one or more times.

9. In registering mechanism for a game, a resettable register, means including movable elements for actuating the same, a second register for registering the number of times a predetermined sum has been registered upon the first register, an actuating device in operative relation with the second register including a member having an idle movement in one direction, and means upon the first register for actuating said member when the same is reset in the event that said last mentioned means has moved past said member during the normal operative movement of the first register.

10. In registering mechanism for a game, a resettable register for registering the points scored, a second register for registering the number of times a predetermined score has been registered upon the first register, and means for intermittently actuating said second register during the resetting of the first register in the event that a predetermined score has been registered several times upon said first register.

11. In registering mechanism for a game, a resettable register for registering the points scored, a second register for registering the number of times a predetermined score has been made, actuating means for the second register including a one way operative member and means on said first register for actuating said member upon resetting thereof in the event that the predetermined score has been registered upon the first register.

KARL KNICKERBOCKER. 

